A bit about the campus

U of J seems like a typical university with a lot of activity going on, a lot of athletics and competitions with cheering and wild excitement.  In the early morning (6:30am) elderly men gather in our court yard and do what looks like Tai Chi while the boys play basketball on the nearby court.  There are NO fat people here.  I have seen a few older folks with bellies but that is it.

Four boys were in the courtyard in the afternoon playing soccer and it started to rain, they did not give up the game.  It started to pour, still they did not give in.  It started to blow and rain in torrential sheets and finally two boys caved but the other two kept right on playing through it and continued well after it was over.

In the evening, at least 50 older women gather on the track and do some sort of dancing.  It is slow and controlled and quite beautiful.  Several are all matching clothing and others just in street clothes so I am not sure if it is a team of dancers and others come to join their practices.  It does seem like staying in shape is a priority and things get moving pretty early around campus, probably due to the hot afternoons.  No daylight savings here so sun up is about 4:30am and sun set about 7:45pm.

University of Jinan is about 35,000 students to Northern’s 3000. Most students do not have cars but walk, bike, or use scooters around campus. It is quite a different atmosphere to what we are used to.